1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automated mailing systems and more particularly to an improved system for voice entry of rate determining parameters and commands.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
An automated mailing system encompassing a postage value determining system processor coupled with a plurality of mailing system peripheral devices is typically described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,325 issued Aug. 25, 1981 to Danel F. Dlugos et al and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Such systems found typical application in parcel mailing rooms of volume shippers. Not only did the systems encompass shipments by the U.S. Postal Service but in addition by other carriers such as United Parcel Service, and a plurality of postage meters and associated mailing machines were therefore provided.
It was determined that a source of error and a factor inhibiting improved throughput was not the equipment but the mailroom operator who was required to read a parcel address label and then input appropriate postal information to the scale processor through a keyboard. Information entry was a source of operator induced error and interrupted an otherwise continuous procedure of placing successive parcels on a weight platform and distracted the operator.